


have you got aces up your sleeve?

by birdbox (Bella_Barbaric)



Series: two worlds colliding [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, bestselling author and harsh critic au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-02-15 14:15:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,398
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2232057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bella_Barbaric/pseuds/birdbox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>and I’d choose you; in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality, I’d find you and I’d choose you.</i>
</p>
<p>Emma Swan gives him a slightly amused half-smile when he steps forward to introduce himself. “Killian Jones, I'm-”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know who you are,” she says, cutting him off. “Current NY Times bestseller as of the last two weeks. Congratulations.”</p>
<p>“And you're the woman who doesn't like me,” Killian counters with a smirk.</p>
<p>She looks surprised. “You read my reviews?”</p>
<p>Killian folds his arms, raising an eyebrow in challenge. “Oh yeah, I read them. And how could I possibly forget the woman who branded my first novel 'practically soul-less'?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	have you got aces up your sleeve?

Fifty million copies of his books sold worldwide in total.

His début spent four weeks at the top of the New York Times Bestseller List, his second novel spent six, and his third eight. His current novel,  _Good Form,_ is projected to surpass that. He is regularly invited to be keynote speaker at numerous eminent literary events around the globe and his press tours last weeks and weeks at a time. His début has been optioned by the Coen brothers, for Christ's sake!

And yet none of that, or any of his novels, has ever been enough to impress E. Swan of the independent New York magazine Once Upon a Time, to which Killian has a subscription. Normally, he knows better than to get hung up on what critics are or are not saying about his and honestly he wouldn't even bother reading E Swan's reviews if he hadn't admired her reviews before she started reviewing his. Frequently, he'd picked up a book based on what she'd said about it, and he almost always agreed with her appraisal of other author's works.

Which is perhaps why he finds her criticism rather hard to take. He tries not to believe the good or the bad of what's written about his work but occasionally, when E. Swan's seems like a lone critical voice among the masses—he wonders whether it's them or her who's more accurate in their assessment.

Even the detractors of his first book were more or less convinced by the time his third book rolled around, but not E. Swan apparently.

' _As always, Jones tries hard to impress,'_ she writes of  _Good Form_  in the latest edition of OUAT, ' _and indeed, he rolls out every literary device he can think of in order to do so. But aside from flashes of glorious potential too brief to be enjoyed, rarely hits any emotional stride in his_ _latest novel_ _.'_

Killian sighs and presses the Home button on his phone, closing the app. At least she called his flashes of potential 'glorious', which is actually slightly better he's learnt to expect from E. Swan—his harshest critic whom he's never met. He doesn't even know what the 'E' stands for if he's honest.

He's supposed to be schmoozing and mingling with his fellow authors and literary business big wigs anyway and promoting Good Form at this black tie gala for the publishing house he's with—he is supposed to be a beacon of self belief and able to confidently field any question about his work, not focusing on the one critic he didn't seem able to convince.

He takes a champagne flute from a waiter with a tray and strides over to a conversation that included the president of the publishing house Robert Gold.

Killian has no real regard for the man, he always struck Killian as rather pompous and embodies his own special brand of unlikeability, but he is one of the most influential people in the business and Killian's well aware of the need to stay on his good side. Gold seems to feel the same way about him but while Killian sells books for him like hot cakes, Gold at least acts like they're good friends for the benefit of onlookers.To this end, Gold openly embraces him when he walks over and enquires after his latest project with carefully crafted enthusiasm that easily fools the sycophant guests around them. It's impressive really.

The conversation is dry and dreary but Killian makes the effort to seem involved, all the while wishing for nothing more than to be at home doing his actual job. After a while, Gold's attention is caught by a guest who's just walked in and beckons them over with a wave of his hand. Killian cranes his neck to see who is so interesting as to have garnered the Crocodile's special interest. A woman glides over, gold sequin-encrusted gown glinting in the chandelier light and a placating smile lighting up beautiful features. Long silky blonde hair flows in a gentle wave over one shoulder and combined with her skin tone and the dress it almost gives the impression she is her own source of light. Killian's breath catches.

“Are we not to expect the pleasure of Mr Nolan's presence this evening?” Gold asks the woman.

“His wife went into labour this morning, so Regina sent me as a late replacement,” the woman says. “I hope you're not disappointed.”

“Certainly not, dearie, certainly not. Please give my best to Mr Nolan and his family,” Gold says, before pontificating the small group around them who lap up his every word. “Once Upon a Time is my favourite of the smaller New York publications, its features are simply divine and its editor, Regina Mills and I go way back. Ms Emma Swan here is an upcoming literary critic and I take great interest in her work, as should all of you. I've always said she'll go far.”

The woman smiles modestly. “Thank you, Mr Gold.”

The name of the magazine she writes for registers with Killian quicker than her name does and Killian's interest in her increases exponentially. And then, it hits him. E. Swan, a literary critic for Once Upon a Time magazine--Emma is what the 'E' stands for. The revelation makes him rock back on his heels in shock; he isn't sure what he was picturing when he pictured E. Swan, but this Emma Swan certainly isn't it. After a brief exchange of platitudes between Gold and Ms Swan, Gold bids her to enjoy herself and moves away, his disciples following behind closely and leaving Killian and E. Swan alone together.

Emma Swan gives him a slightly amused half-smile when he steps forward to introduce himself. “Killian Jones, I'm-”

“Yeah, I know who you are,” she says, cutting him off. “Current NY Times bestseller as of the last two weeks. Congratulations.”

“And you're the woman who doesn't like me,” Killian counters with a smirk.

She looks surprised. “You read my reviews?”

Killian folds his arms, raising an eyebrow in challenge. “Oh yeah, I read them. And how could I possibly forget the woman who branded my first novel 'practically soul-less'?”

Emma clucks her tongue and shrugs, unapologetic. “What can I say? You have your job, I have mine. Authors and critics are natural enemies.”

“Well, that's comforting. So I can expect the reviews of my future books to be similarly hostile then, Ms Swan?” he asks.

Emma laughs, her head tilting back slightly and her eyes dancing. Killian feels like he's staring into the sun.“If you've read my reviews of your books, Mr Jones, you'll know that my criticism _has_  softened since your first novel so you are on an upward curve which is good. Plus, I'm pretty sure looking at your bank balance after the Coen brothers make your movie will stop you feeling bad about what any horrible, meanie critic is saying.”

Nodding at him in amused acknowledgement, Emma steps away from him, the back of her dress sliding across the floorboards. Killian turns around after her and, before he can think it through, calls out, “Can I buy you a drink, Ms Swan?”

Emma turns on her heel, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear and watching him speculatively. “It's an open bar,” she tells him.

“Even better,” Killian quips and sees her hide a smile behind a dismissive roll of her eyes. He saunters over to her, smirking playfully. This is honestly the most fun he's had all night and there's something he just instinctively likes about Emma Swan, despite her opinion on his writing. Talking to his harshest critic is too good an opportunity for him to miss, and so what if he's interested in her? 

“What, are you trying to charm me into retracting my reviews?” Emma asks sceptically, hands on her hips.

"Depends,” Killian tells her.

“On?”

Killian shrugs. “Is it working?”

“Nope,” Emma says immediately, popping the 'P'. She looks him up and down, pressing her lips together in thought and to his surprise and delight, she loops his arm lightly with hers. “But I will let you get me that drink.”

Killian grins wide and honest before he can stop it. “In that case, I think it's already working better than you think.”

Emma just rolls her eyes. “We'll see about that, Jones.”


End file.
